
Two players, who will no longer play for the Black and Reds next season, face each other twice in five days in European Championship qualifiers: Captain Elisa Senß, who is set to play for Eintracht Frankfurt, and Germany start Group A4 at home on 31 May and away on 4 June against Poland with striker Nikola Karczewska, whose loan spell from Tottenham Hotspur is over. Germany have started the qualifiers with a perfect six points. Poland, who lost both of their first games, also have Sylwia Matysik in their squad for the games on matchdays 3 and 4.
The Iceland international Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir is in the same group away and then at home to Austria. Iceland have three points to date. Hungary, with one point from two games, play away and then at home to Switzerland in League B1 with central defender Lilla Turányi in the squad.






Two Leverkusen players have been called up to the Germany U20 squad. Sofie Zdebel has support within the team from Loreen Bender, who is set to make her debut at a higher age group following seven appearances and five goals for the U19s. The squad under coach Kathrin Peter will meet up in Sweden to prepare for the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup (31 August 22 September in Colombia). Friendlies have been arranged every three days with matches against the U23 teams from Poland, Australia and Sweden.
The Germany U19 squad will get together at a training camp in Bad Blankenburg from 27 to 30 May in preparation for the European Championships in Lithuania (14 to 27 July). That includes a Bayer 04 quintet: Goalkeeper Anne Moll, Paulina Bartz, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Julia Mickenhagen and Delice Boboy. No international fixtures have been organised. Julie Jorde is away with the Norway U23 squad. A friendly against an unnamed opponent is planned for 31 May. Her teammates Emilie Bragstad and Synne Skinnes Hansen are on standby for the senior team who play Italy in two Euro qualifiers.
The international call-ups:
Elisa Senß (Germany)
31.05.: Germany vs Poland (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Poland vs Germany (Euro qualifier)
Nikola Karczewska and Sylwia Matysik (Poland)
31.05.: Germany vs Poland (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Poland vs Germany (Euro qualifier)
Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (Iceland)
31.05.: Austria vs Iceland (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Iceland vs Austria (Euro qualifier)
Lilla Turányi (Hungary)
31.05.: Switzerland vs Hungary (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Hungary vs Switzerland (Euro qualifier)
Loreen Bender and Sofie Zdebel (Germany U20s)
29.05.: Poland U23 vs Germany (Friendly)
01.06.: Australia U23 vs Germany (Friendly)
04.06.: Sweden U23 vs Germany (Friendly)
Paulina Bartz, Delice Boboy, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Julia Mickenhagen, Anne Moll (all Germany U19s)
27.05. – 30.05.: Training camp in Bad Blankenburg
Julie Jorde (Norway U23s)
31.05.: Friendly (opponents to be confirmed)

“Year after year, this is an incredibly valuable gathering, both in terms of the content covered and the opportunity for mutual discussion,” stressed Bayer 04 goalkeeping coach David Thiel in his welcoming address at this year’s goalkeeping coaches’ meeting. This was the third time in four seasons that the event had been held at the BayArena. Organised by the German Football Association (DFB), the meeting brought together goalkeeping coaches from the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the 3rd division from the west region. For the first time this year, goalkeeping coaches from the youth performance centres (NLZ) were also present. Bayer 04 fitness coach Markus Müller provided fascinating insights into the specific fitness training carried out with the Werkself’s goalkeepers.
Show more
It was another incredibly close call in the end: The second showdown in the 2026/27 VBL Club Championship saw the #B04eSports team once again narrowly miss out on a place in the top 16 of the preliminary round – and with it, a spot in the in-person knockout stage. It was a bitter blow: Marc and Sean Landwehr again fell just short, despite being level on points with their rivals. As was the case last month, their weaker record across the twelve individual matches in the six preliminary round fixtures proved decisive.
Show more
Several Werkself players are set to represent their national teams during the final international break of 2026. Here’s an overview of who has been called up and the matches they will face in November. This article will be updated regularly.
Show more
“They stuck with us over the past few weeks when things weren’t going so well,” said captain Edmond Tapsoba, thanking the fans for their support after the 2–1 win in Cologne and dedicating the derby victory to them. Throughout the 90 minutes, the Werkself had looked unfazed and in command, inflicting the first home defeat of the season on FC Köln. It was the sixth consecutive win against the Cologne team for Bayer 04 – head coach Carles Martínez, on the other hand, was facing the team from the neighbouring city for the first time and “now really knows what this derby win means”. The Werkself derby review.
Show more
Following the 2–1 derby victory away at FC Köln on Bundesliga matchday 9, Edmond Tapsoba, Malik Tillman and Aleix Garcia spoke to Werkself TV...
Show more